Amid the spike in COVID-19 cases and the subsequent shortage of medical oxygen across Maharashtra, two Sikh youth organisations have launched a call center providing free oxygen cylinders to those in need. Members of the Malabar Hill Sevak Jattha and Mulund Sikh Youth have collaborated with Red Crescent Society to help with the oxygen crisis in Mumbai.
"Last year, we organised langar for three months. But this time we saw that there is a shortage of medical oxygen and people require it. So we connected with the Red Crescent society," Balvinder Singh, a volunteer in the initiative, told ANI. "We started with 10 cylinders. Now, we have almost 60-70 cylinders. We take a refundable deposit of Rs 6,000. The service is free of cost," Singh said.
"Aadhar card of the patient and the kin is verified along with positive COVID-19 report and doctor's prescription stating the requirement of oxygen, before proving service to anyone." "We get calls from all over India but we are able to serve people in Mumbai and nearby areas as of now," he added.
Dr Azimuddin Sayyed, a member of Red Crescent Society of India, told ANI that many people from various religious places have contacted him over phone asking for help.
"Many religious places across Mumbai are being converted into storage facilities for oxygen cylinders and various things required by the people," Sayyed said. According to official data, there are 6,74,358 active cases of COVID-19 in Maharashtra.
